How do you Upgrade Stair Treads to Oak?
jdom
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
The stairway to the second floor in my house has pine, closed, treads. I’d like to upgrade them to oak. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this without ripping the old treads out? I thought about cutting the nose off the pine treads. Then screwing or nailing half-inch oak treads right over the pine treads. And finally nailing boards over the risers to cover the riser and the front of the old tread. However, I am concerned about the fit at each end of the treads and risers (since there is a skirtboard on both sides. This can’t be an uncommon upgrade. Does anyone have a better method? Or is this the way its done?
Replies
If you just add the oak treads on top of the pine, your bottom rise will be too high, and your top rise will be too low.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Theres another thread that asked the same question about a week ago.
blue
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
I've done this several times and have to do it on Monday for one of my neigbours. Cut the nosing of pine off. Screw anything that is not rock solid. I usually use one quarter inch oak veneer plywood for covering the risers. Do the risers first. (I also use the plywood to cover the stringer). The hardwood supplier makes a "stringer cap" to cover the stringer and it is like a small stair nosing so it covers the edge of the plywood on the stringer. I use three quarter inch oak treads. I like polyurathane glue and about six two and a half inch nails. After a few hours that glue sets quite strongly. If the joints between treads and risers are not as tight as you like use small oak trim pieces. Stain if you want then coat the whole works with Flecto polyurathane. After the first coat putty the nail holes with oak putty. Don't let any body on the stairs. If you must use the stairs, coat every second step then do the others the next day.
Have a good day
Cliffy
Thanks for the advice, Cliffy. What your saying makes sense to me (and that's sometimes difficult to do!). I think I'll dive into this project after the holidays.
Get one of those STAIRTOOL stair gauges. I got one for Christmas last year and use it for all sorts of stuff!
If I understood right you were concerned about the fit of the treads and risers between the skirts. The stair gauge is an adjustable aluminum template for that exact thing.
Wife said she got mine at http://www.stairtool.com I think it cost about about 90 bucks. Cheap compared to cutting and taping posterboard for each tread.
I was reading the archives about oak stairs and came across your post about the stairtool. I'm about to do a set of stairs and every tread is wall to wall. How do you like the tool? Is it worth the money? It appears to be very handy.
James Hart
The tool works really well. I use it for lots of template work ie... Countertops between walls, window seat tops, etc... Real handy when thinks are a little out of whack. It extends out to about 4.5'. Oh yeah, it works great for its intended purpose too!
Your right. That is my big concern. I saw one of those tools advertised in Fine Homebuilding. Glad to hear that someone has found it useful. I guess there's less expensive ways of doing it, but that tool sounds like it can save a lot of work. Thanks for the input.
Jerome
Jdom,
I'm just finishing what you are trying to do. Go to the Photo Gallery for some pics of my project. For templates, use strips of wood and hot melt glue. Screw and glue the staircase thoughly first. A large bottle of cynoacrylate in all the joints did wonders. Walking on the stairs feels like walking on concrete.
I glued, screwed and nailed all the covering mtrls. Used 1/2" oak for the covering, but my subfloors were built up prior, so all the risers match within 1/16".
Good luck.
WSJ
Jon,
Saw the photos. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. They look beautiful! Thanks for the advice and visuals!
Jerome